Arm bones, hand bones, leg bones, foot bones, and facial and skull bones are some of the bones that are most likely to break in a car crash. Factors like the kind of vehicle involved, its speed, and the type of crash, however, determines what type of bones are most likely to break and the severity of the breakage.
Common Broken Bones After a Car Crash
Arm Bones
People usually instinctively throw their arms out to shield themselves during a crash. This move, however, results in the breakage of arm bones. Due to their small and fragile nature, arm bones are highly likely to break during a crash.
Hand Bones
Just like arm bones, hand bones are often broken in car crashes when people unconsciously use their hands to protect their face. Hand bones can also break during a crash if the force of the crash squashes the car into the steering wheel.
Leg Bones
The impact of a car crash can cause leg bones to break. Many car accident victims suffer a broken leg bone. Depending on the impact and where it happens, any bone in the leg, from the femur to the tibia to smaller knee bones, could break. Broken leg bones take anywhere from six to 12 weeks after the crash to heal to a substantial degree.
Foot and Ankle Bones
Foot and ankle bones are small and delicate. They are effortlessly crushed during an accident when the force of the crash causes the front end of the vehicle to collapse on itself. Twisted metal can trap the feet, causing significant damage to the foot bones.
Facial and Skull Bones
Car crash victims break their facial and skull bones, especially during head-on truck crashes, when they strike windshields with significant force. Facial bones, such as the nose or jaw, are also most likely to break during a car crash following the deployment of the airbag. Although this is better compared to the injuries that can happen without an airbag, fractured or broken facial bones can take too long to heal and may result in permanent disfigurement.
Car accident victims who suffer broken bones require hospitalization, costly surgical procedures, and months or even years away from work to recuperate. Some may even develop a temporary or permanent disability. A car crash lawyer can build a strong injury claim that can help the accident victim get full and reasonable compensation.